Eupatorium plant named ‘Doeuplipy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Eupatorium  plant named ‘Doeuplipy’, characterized by its relatively compact and broadly upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large purple-colored inflorescences; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Eupatorium maculatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOEUPLIPY’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Inventor and Applicant on May 4, 2021,application number 2021/1218. Foreign priority is not claimed to thisapplication.

The Inventor and Applicant assert that no publications noradvertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distributionoccurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication. Any information about the claimed plant would have beenobtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor andApplicant. Inventor and Applicant claim a prior art exception under 35U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing datebut less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEupatorium plant, botanically known as Eupatorium maculatum, commonlyreferred to as Joe-Pye Weed and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Doeuplipy’.

The new Eupatorium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new compact Eupatoriumplants that are suitable as container and garden plants.

The new Eupatorium plant originated from an open-pollination in August,2015 in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands of Eupatorium maculatum ‘Phantom’,disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,354, as the female, or seed parentwith an unknown selection of Eupatorium maculatum, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Eupatorium plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of thestated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment inRijpwetering, The Netherlands in September, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Eupatorium plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rijpwetering, TheNetherlands since September, 2016 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Eupatorium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Eupatorium have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Doeuplipy’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Doeuplipy’ as a new and distinct Eupatoriumplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large purple-colored inflorescences.    -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Eupatorium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Phantom’, in plant habit as plants of the new Eupatorium aremore compact than and not as tall as plants of ‘Phantom’.

Plants of the new Eupatorium can be compared to plants of Eupatoriummaculatum ‘Snowball’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,869. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Eupatorium differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘Snowball’ in plant habit as plants of the new Eupatoriumare more compact than and not as tall as plants of ‘Snowball’. Inaddition, plants of the new Eupatorium have purple-coloredinflorescences whereas plants of ‘Snowball’ have creamy white-coloredinflorescences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Eupatorium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Eupatorium plant. The photograph is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Doeuplipy’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer in 17-cm containersin an outdoor nursery in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Eupatorium production. During theproduction of the plants, average daily temperatures were 22° C. andaverage night temperatures were 17° C. Plants were three months old whenthe photograph was taken and 16 weeks old when the description wastaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Second Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Eupatorium maculatum ‘Doeuplipy’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Eupatorium maculatum ‘Phantom’, disclosed in            U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,354.        -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Eupatorium maculatum, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at            temperatures about 26° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 14 days at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 14 days at            temperatures about 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching habit; medium            density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial plant appropriate as a            container or garden plant; relatively compact and broadly            upright plant habit; not vigorous, yet moderate growth rate;            freely basal branching habit with about 20 primary branches            developing per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 80 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 65 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Internode length: About 11 cm. Aspect: Upright to about 25°            from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture and luster: Smooth,            glabrous; glossy. Color, developing: Close to 144B. Color,            developed: Close to 187A with 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 13 cm.        -   Width.—About 6 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate to lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Senate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            semi-glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,            close to 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 145A.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color,            upper surface: Close to 187A. Color, lower surface: Close to            144B. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Arrangement and habit.—Discoid inflorescences arranged in            terminal and axillary compound corymbs; inflorescences face            mostly upright; freely flowering habit, with about 230            inflorescences per terminal corymb with numerous corymbs            developing per plant; ray floret development has not been            observed on plants of the new Eupatorium.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.        -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from July to            September in The Netherlands.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 9 mm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            glossy. Color: Close to 84A.        -   Corymb diameter.—About 15 cm.        -   Corymb height.—About 14 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 mm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Receptacle height.—Less than 1 mm.        -   Receptacle shape.—Rounded; button-shape.        -   Receptacle color.—Close to 143A.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About twelve            arranged in about two whorls at the center of the            receptacle. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:            Tubular, fused towards the base. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, when opening and fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 84A; venation,            close to 84A; with subsequent development, color becoming            closer to 73A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 21 arranged in            about four whorls; imbricate. Length: About 5 mm. Width:            About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cuneate.            Margin: Entire, ciliate. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper surface:            Close to 84A and 143B. Color, lower surface: Close to 84D            and 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 mm. Diameter,            terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Length, third peduncle: About            3 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 1 mm. Strength:            Flexible. Aspect: About 40° from lateral branch axis.            Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to            177A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Strength: Flexible. Aspect: Upright to about 30° from            peduncle axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: Close to 177B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret:            About five. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color:            Close to 84A. Anther shape: Oblong; basifixed Anther size:            About 0.1 mm by 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 200B. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 8C. Gynoecium:            Quantity per disc floret: One. Pistil length: About 8 mm.            Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Bifid. Stigma            color: Close to 84A. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:            Close to 84A. Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seeds and fruits:            To date, seed and fruit development have not been observed            on plants of the new Eupatorium.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Eupatorium    have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Eupatorium.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Eupatorium have exhibited good    garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, temperatures ranging    from about −30° C. to about 30° C. and to be suitable for U.S.D.A.    Hardiness Zone 4.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Eupatorium plant named ‘Doeuplipy’as illustrated and described.